Means for lubricating refrigeration systems



Dec. 1, 1931. F. w. ANDREWS 1,834,136

MEANS FOR L TION SYSTEMS mm W x I f W1 y um I r I |I I "IL, w 1i L WEI l NNNNN 0R \W' WW ATTORNfi I w l E Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK W. ANDREWS, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOIQ, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENT TO APEX ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A COB- PORATION OF OHIO MEANS FOR LUBRICATIN G REFRIGERATION" SYSTEMS Application filed latch 19, 1928. Serial No. 262,815.

My invention relates to refrigeration'systemsand particularly to those in which a sufficient quantity of lubricant is mixed with refrigerant when the system is charged and.

sealed, to effectually lubricate all moving parts where friction would cause wear.

Considerable difliculty has been experienced in small units, such as those adapted for household use, by the accumulation of a large amount of lubricant in some part of the system as the liquid refrigerant receiver of a dry system, and because such quantity of lubricant remains in the receiver in that case, an insuflicient amount is carriedover to the compressor and other working parts to keep them properly lubricated.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a method of and means for keeping the lubricant in the system circulating therethrough, that is, as fast as it comes over from the outlet side of the compressor to the liquid receiver or other part of the system where it becomes trapped, to pass it directly through said receiver instead of allowing it to accumulate and remain therein.

My invention as applied to a refrigeration system of the dry type is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is aside elevation of a liquid refrigerant receiver, with parts broken away and in section to show the invention in its preferred form, with parts of the tubes broken away and in axial section,-and I Fig. 2 is a similar view of one end of the recei-ver, broken and in section to expose to view an alternative form of my invention, also with tube broken and in section. The surmounting valve mechanism is broken away.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1-; 1 is the liquid refrigerant receiver, with liquid gas inlet ipe 2, liquid gas outlet pipe 3, controlled y a suitable valve t and havin outlet tube 5 through which liquid gas ows to the cooling unit (not shown.)

An open ended supply tube 6 terminates at its lower end below the minimum normal level of liquid gas in the receiver 1 and preferably near the bottom thereof. Liquid gas passes upwardly from the receiver 1 through supply tube 6, valve 4 and outlettube5, but

will notv of itself carry the oil 0 which aocumulates on top of the body of liquid refrigerant R freely enough to keep all the moving parts (not shown) of the apparatus lubricated, and a considerable quantity of the oil accumulates in the liquid refrigerant receiver.

To prevent this by causing the oil to ass over to the cooling unit with the liqui refrigerant a tubular wick holder 7, piercing the side of the supply tube 6 and united therewith, extends outwardly and downwardly, its outer end preferably resting on the bottom of the li uid refrigerant receiver. This tube 7 is preferably provided with a slot on the top side or otherwise provided with. one or more openings, extending through its wall and filled with a suitable fibrous wick W, or other means for raising the oil by capillary attraction, and preferably this wick pro-. trudes out of said lower end so that the free ends of said fibers may contact with the body .of oil 0 as well as a portion of the encased wick at all levels of the oil.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 2, there is no laterally extending tube 7, but the supply tube 6 there designated as 9, has a partition 10 extending nearlly; but not quite to the top of said tube, a wic W is put into one chamber of the tube, and the wall of that chamber is rovided with a slot 11 or other openings to bring the body of oil in the liquid receiver 1 into contact with the wick at all levels.

The wick W is soaked with the lubricant before the apparatus is charged with refrig- I erant. The 'oil riseson the wick and particles thereof are delivered from the upper end of the wick from time to time or constantly into the rising body of liquid refrigerant in the su ply tube 6, and are carried over with said re rigerant to accomplish the purpose of the invention.

While I have shown and described the best forms of the invention known to me, I do not wish to be limited to these forms, but claim any apparatus using a wick or other capillary means to carry over the lubricant from any receptacle in the system where it becomes 100 pocketed as within the scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention. and desire to :ecure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a refrigeration system through which lubricant is circulated with refrigerant; a liquid receiver, an outlet tube from an upper part of said vreceiver extending downwardly and terminating in said receiver below the normal level of liquid therein, and wick means for conveying lubricant in said receiver into said tube, said tube connected into the next point of the system through which refrigerant normally passes in the cycle of its circulation.

2. In a refrigeration system through which lubricant is circulated with refrigerant; a liquid receiver, an outlet tube from said liquid receiver extending downwardly from and above and terminating in said receiver below the normal level of liquid therein and a wick extending from within said outlet tube into the body of lubricant in said receiver, said tube connected into the next point of the system through which refrigerant normally passes in the cycle of its circulation.

3. In a refrigeration system through which lubricant is circulated with refrigerant; a liquid receiver, ,an open ended outlet tube whose upper end pierces and is sealed to the top of said receiver and extends downwardly terminating in said receiver below the normal level of liquid therein, and a wick whose upper end is within said tube, and which passes through the body of lubricant in said receiver and contacts therewith, said tube connected into the next point of the system through which refrigerant normally passes in the cycle of its circulation". V

4. In a refrigeration system having a compressor through which system lubricant circulates with refrigerant, means for conveying lurbicant by capillary attraction to the next portion of the system through which refrigerant normally passes in the cycle of its circulation from any point where it would otherwise become trapped. 5. In a refrigeration system having'a compressor through which system lubricant circulates with refrigerant, wick means for forwarding lubricant to the next'portion of the system throu h which refrigerant normally passes in t e cycle of its circulation from any point where it would otherwise become trapped.

6. In a refrigeration system through which lubricant is circulated with refrigerant; a receptacle in which lubricant becomes pocketed, an outlet above the liquid level in said receptacle, a connection from said outlet to the next portion of the system through which refrigerant normally passes in the cycle of its circulation, and capillary means extendlng from the accumulated lubricant in said receptacle to a place contiguous to said outlet in the path of refrigerant flowing therethrough. a

7. In a refrigeration system through which lubricant is circulated with refrigerant; a receptacle in which lubricant becomes pocketed, an outlet above the liquid level in said receptacle a connection from said outlet to the next portion of the system through which refrigerant normally passes in the cycle of its circulation, and wick means extending downwardly from a place contiguous to said outlet and in the path of refrigerant flowing therethrough to the body of lubricant in said receptacle and a wick in said tube.

9. In a'refrigeration system through which lubricant is circulated with refrigerant; a

liquid receiver, an outlet tube connecting an upper part of said receiver with the next portion of the system through which refrigerant normally passes in the cycle of its circulation, said tube extending downwardly and terminating in-said receiver below the normal level of liquid therein, a branch tube connected to an upper part of said outlet tube and extending downwardl into said receiver to the lubricant at any 0 its levels, a wick extending throu h said branch tube and terminating in sai outlet tube and means for permitting lubricant to pass through the wall of said branch tube.

10. In a refrigeration system through which lubricant is circulated with refrigerant; a liquid receiver an outlet tube connecting an upper part of said receiver with the next portion of the system through which refrigerant normally passes in the cycle of its circulatiomsaid tube extending downwardly and terminating in said receiver below the normal level of liquid therein, a slotted branch tube connected to an upper part of said outlet tube and extending downwardly into said receiver through the lubricant at all of its levels, and a wick extending through said branch tube and terminating in said outlet tu e.

11. In a refrigeration system through which lubricant'is circulated with lubricant; a liquid receiver, an outlet tube connecting an upper part of said receiver with the next portion of the system through which refrigerant normally passes in the cycle of its circulation, said tube extending downwardly and terminating in said receiver below the normal level of liquid therein, a slotted branch tube connected 'to an upper part of said outlet tube and extending downwardly into said receiver a through the lubricant at all of its levels, a

Wick extending through said branch tube and 5 terminating in said outlet tube and extending out of the lower end of the branch tube so as to contact With the body of lubricant in the receiver.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 10 my hand.

FRANK W. ANDREWS. 

